UniVirtua Awarded ESA-backed Nomadic Multi-Orbit Connectivity Project

Harwell UK – UniVirtua® is pleased to announce it has been awarded the contract to build the Nomadic Multi-orbit User Terminal, under the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme and in collaboration with the UK Space Agency & UK Government.

The proposed Terminal will use UniVirtua’s dashAlpha® network bonding technology to deliver a weatherproof trailer-based transportable solution able to rapidly deploy much-needed Internet connectivity and IoT capability to users such as local authorities, emergency services, farmers and the events and hospitality sector, as well as rural and isolated communities.

The solution will aggregate geostationary (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technologies with terrestrial 5G to deliver robust, dependable and high-bandwidth Internet connectivity, while supporting end user devices via high-capacity Wi-Fi.

By bonding multiple bearers, the Terminal will provide a robust fault-tolerant communications backbone for real time voice & video and live data. It will also have the capability to optimise operating costs by dynamically favouring appropriate lower-cost terrestrial connections when available, while retaining satellite capacity for resilience, coverage and performance.

On delivery, the Terminal will be demonstrated at various locations around the UK as part of a roadshow supported by the ESA and UK Government.

“We are delighted to have been awarded the Nomadic Multi-orbit User Terminal project,” said Joseph Poole, CEO of UniVirtua. “This represents an excellent opportunity to showcase the ability of our dashAlpha technology to bond multiple terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks into a single and resilient communications link and deliver reliable Internet access to remote locations and communities.”

Rebecca Irving, Senior SatComs Investment Lead for NTN, UK Space Agency, said: “The UK Space Agency is pleased to support UniVirtua’s Nomadic Multi-Orbit Connectivity Demonstrator through the European Space Agency’s ARTES programme. This project will explore innovative ways of combining satellite and terrestrial networks to deliver more resilient and flexible connectivity solutions.

By demonstrating how space and terrestrial technologies can work together, the project has the potential to support communities, businesses and public services in locations where reliable connectivity can be challenging. We look forward to seeing the results of the demonstration and the opportunities it could create for future connectivity services and applications across the UK.”